Wire-twisting machine



Ayn-i122 1924. 91,4

A. LE-ACH WIRE TWISTINQ MACHINE Filed Nov. 28 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 u $3 INVENTOR Arthur Leach,

WITNESSES A TTOR/VEYS April 22, 1924. 1,49L483 I A. LEACH WIRE TWISTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 *0 N INVENTOR Ari/ 7a? Leach,

A TTOR/VEYS WITNESSES April 22 1924.

A. LEAcH .wms wwxs'rme MACHINE Filed Nov. 28 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR A rfliur Leach,

- WITNESSES A TTOR/VE'YS April 22 1924. L49L4$3 A. LEACH WIRE TWISTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mi imum 1 IINVENTOR Ari/1M!" Leach WITNESSES A TTORNEYS Patented A r. 22, 1924.

WIRE-TWISTING MACHINE,

Application filed November 28, 1921.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR LEACH, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Twisting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of wire stranding or twisting and more especially to a machine for twisting wire, wire rope or cable, thread or hemp or the like, the object thereof being to provide a machine of simple, novel and durable character, not likely to get out of working order, which can be conveniently and economically regulated, adjusted, and operated, and obviates or eliminates the operation of winding or spinning the material.

In case of wire, especially which is made into coils, same can be put on swifts and run directly into the machine without having to wind it on the spools. This machine is very simple in construction and inexpensive. It can be run at high speed, has fewer parts,

which means less repairs, does not require much floor space and there is no strain on the wires, either before or after being made into a strand, which means a greater breaking strain to a rope. With all of these features, ropes can be made very economically.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a novel and simple machine that can twist wires, wire rope, thread, hemp, and manila ropes, without first winding the same on spools. In case of wire especially which is made into coils, the same can be put on Swifts and made directly into strands, and whereby any material that has to be twisted can be made very economically, thereby saving much time and expense consumed in winding.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for twisting in either direction including a novel lay structure and drive means; means for pulling or feeding the strand as twisted or formed, steadily and uniformly; means for obtaining the proper lay of strand; means for supporting and driving a spool on which. the strand, cable or rope is wound, means for properly guiding the same on the spool or drum from the feeding means after being twisted or formed.

Other and further objects of my invention will become readily apparent to persons 7 skilled in the art, from a consideration of Serial No. 518,278.

the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a similar sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary diametrical sectional elevation of one end of the machine and showing the winding spool mounting and drive means.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the guide plate for guiding the strands, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged disassembled per- ;pective view of the die and mounting there- Referring to the drawings indetail in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views in which for purposes of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, my improved twisting machine is shown as embodying the spaced stands or bearings 10 and 11 with holes 12 drilled horizontally through them near their upper ends, said stands being mounted upon or secured to a suitable table or support 13. In the stand 10 is fitted a short hollow or tubular stub shaft 14, the hole 15 being formed or drilled through the same to allow the twisted material to pass therethrough direct to a drum as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. The table or support 13 forms a base for the machine and the stands or bearings 10 and 11 are mounted in upright positions on the same and suitably secured thereto at their base portions 16, as indicated at 17 being bolted or otherwise fastened, as more particularly indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Carried by the stand 10 and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom is a die stand or support shown as a pair of spaced parallel bolts 18 engaged through corresponding apertures in a block, casting or die stand proper 19 carrying set screws 20 by which the block is retained in an adjusted position, the aperture being designated at 21 and the set screws engaging the bolts 18 so as to support the block in an upright position. The stand or block 19 is provided with a rectangular recess 22 m I tion while the rectangular recess and diesits upper end adapted to receive the dies 23 and 24 and to hold the same against displacement therein,

the cross section of the upper die 24 so that the weight of the latter will hold it in posiwill retain the same against rotation. The dies are removably held in position by a plate 26 having apertures in the ends thereof for receiving fastening screws 27 engaged in threaded sockets 28 in the upper end of the block, thus securely holding the dies in position with the strand engaged therethrough, although it is to "be understood that any other form of securing means may be employed for this purpose. Carried by one of the bolts 18 is a die late 29, the same being preferably slotte and adjustably mounted as indicated at 30 so that the opposite end is provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced apertures 31 arranged in a circular series and a central aperture 32. In this way the strands may be properly guided through the die. and brought together to form a rope or cable when the machine is operated as willbe hereinafter more particularly set forth. 7

The shaft 14 is held stationarg by a set screw 34 engaged through the caring or hearing sleeve at the upper end of the stand 10 and with the periphery of the shaft, and

the hearing at the upper end of the opposite stand 11 receives a shaft 35 which is held by a set screw 36, both shafts 14 and 35-being stationary. and constitutin with the stand and support the stator of t e machine to rotatably support the working parts.

Aside from the stationary element the machine embodies a rotar element or rotor consisting of spaced circu ar plates or heads 37 and 38, the same having bushings 39 preferably of brass fixed therein for rotation upon the shafts, this permitting the bushings to be removed and renewed without causing special Wear upon the shafts whic latter are of harder metal such as steel, The heads are connected by a lurality of spaced parallel rods 40 referab y four in number to the ends of w ich the heads are removably secured in any desired way. In this manner the heads are rigidly connected in spaced parallel relation for rotation on the shafts Fixed to the shaft 14 is a 5 ur gear or pinion 41 outwardly of the hea '37 and between the said head and the adjacent bearing of the shaft 10, while mounted on the outer face of the head 37 is an arm 42, the

nit-areas same being anchored at one end as indicated at 43 and having a longitudinal slot 44 in its op osite end carrying on a pivot or shaft 45 ad ustably held therein, a spur gear or pinion 46 which meshes with the pinion 41 and in turn meshes with a spur gear 47 fixed to a shaft 48 rotatably mounted through the head 37 parallel to the axis thereof and the shaft 14; As shown, the spur gear or pinion 41 is larger than the pinion 46 and the spur gear 47 is considerably larger than either of the aforesaid ears.

If it be desired to change the speed of the rotor it will be only necessary to replace gear 47 with a larger or smaller gear or replace gear 41 with a larger or smaller gear whereby the speed is either decreased or increased. The gear 46 is adapted to be shifted back or forth through its connection with the slot 44 of the arm 42. When a gear larger than the gear 47 is employed for diminishing the speed it will be necessary to move the gear 46 towardsits pivotal point 43 of the arm 42 because of the larger diameter of the new gear. If a smaller gear be employed to replace gear 47 gear .46 is moved outwardly of the arm 42 m order that said gear will mesh with the smaller gear that has replaced gear 47.

The inner end of the shaft 48 carries a beveled pinion or miter gear 49 which is fixed thereto and meshes with "oppositely disposed beveled pinions or miter gears 50 and 51, the hubs of which are separate and rotatably mounted on a shaft 52 supported in spaced brackets 53 fastened at right angles to the head 37 and extending inwardly at right angles thereto, all of the parts being located comparatively within the periphery of the heads. The inner end of the shaft 52 carries a pinion or spur gear 54 meshing with a relatively large .spur gear 55 fixed to a winding shaft. 56 rotatably supported at its ends in bearings 57 consisting of rods of rectangular cross section havlng transverse apertures receiving the rods 40 and held by set screws 58 so that thebearings 57 are disposed in opposed spaced parallel relation. Fixed to the shaft 56 is a grooved drum 59 and since the shaft 56 is supported off-center, its periphery is disposed sut/stantially in line with the axis of the machine at the shaft 14 through which the twisted strands forming the cable are drawn as will be later described, so as to permit the cable to be wound on the drum. The cable is designated at 60 and after being wound or wrapped around. the drum 59 four or five times is extended over a guide pulley 61 rotatably mounted at the forked inner end of a; bracket 62 fixed to the head 38 near the periphery thereof and extendi at right angles thereto inwardly parallel to the axis of the machine.

Carried by two of the rods at right angles to the rods or bars forming the bearings 57 is a similar bearing 63 secured by set screws 6% which bearing 63 together with the circular end plate or head rotatably carries a cross thread bar or double threaded feed screw with right and left hand threads, as indicated at 65, the same being located in line with the pulley 61 and engaged by a feed nut 66 having mounted thereon a. guider 67 with four spaced corner sections, forming a pair of forks straddling one of the adjacent rods 40 in the manner of prongs with two on each side of the rod and carrying a guide pulley 68. The nut is preferably a half or three quarter nut held in position by a plate 69 to facilitate its application to the feed screw or cross thread bar 65 on which adjacent to the circular end plate or head 38 is provided a pulley 70..

The shaft 35 adjacent to the bushing 39 thereof which rotatably supports the circular end plate or head 38 on the shaft as heretofore described, is provided with an enlargement or annular circumscribing shoulder 71, beyond which the inwardly extended end of the shaft is reduced in diameter as indicated at 72 to receive thereon a winding spool 73. A clutch is provided for rotating the spool as the machine is operated, said clutch being of the friction type and consisting of two sections or pieces of iron orsteel and indicated at 7 4 with a hole drilled between them when clamped together, the semi-circular recesses of the two serving to engage the hub 75 of a drive plate 76, the hole being lined with leather or the like as indicated at 77, between the two halves and holes being drilled in each end of these two sectionsor pieces for receiving clamping bolts 78 which clamp them together on the hub and against the enlargement-71. The spool fits flush against the drive plate and the hub fits in the hole between the clutch or clamp and by tightening the nuts of the clamping bolts 78, the tension on the strand when winding the strand or cable on the spool can be regulated. -The drive plate is provided with pins or the like 79 adapted to engage in corresponding recesses in the spool end as indicated at 80 in Figure 5 of the drawing so that the spool will be driven, as the clutch is driven in any suitable manner. the rotor may be driven in any suitable man I ner by a belt engaged around one of the heads or a pulley or gears associated therewith, or the parts may be rotated by hand if desired. The spool 73 is suitably retained on the shaft and by a pin 81 and the enlargement 71 forms a pulley around which and the friction pulley a belt 82 .trained so that rotation may be imparted to the feed screw or cross thread bar whereby the feed nut may be reciprocated to Likewise, it is to be understood thatguide the cable or strand on the spool and cause it to be properly wound thereon, as it is thought will be clear in View of the foregoing description and an inspection of the drawings. The friction pulley is for the purpose of keeping the strand or cable at wrapped on the spool the tension of whichis regulated as desired, according to the manner in which the clamping bolts or nuts of the friction clutch are adjusted. Also,

as will be noted, the spool [its flush against. the drive plate of the clutch, the spool shaft with the hub or pulley being stationary and the belt engaged thereon and around the pulley of the feed screw or across said bar, thereby causing the latter to be revolved or driven for effectively guiding "the strand on cable on the spool.

As previously stated, the hubs of the beveled gears 50 and 51 are separate and each beveled gear has a hole 83 in the hub thereof in which a lay bolt 84 fits, the same engaging a corresponding or aligned hole in the shaft 52 on which the beveled gears revolve. The lay bolts or pins fit in these holes and by engaging one and disengaging the other or using either, the miter or beveled gear 49 will serve to drive either of the beveled gears 50 or 5L so as to rotate the shaft 52 in either direction for the purpose of changing the lay to the right or left hand directionflthe direction as will be obvious being in this manner reversed.

Thus in twisting wire with this-machine, as the wire is made into coils, the coils are put onto swifts and from there threaded through the die plate so that when the machine is drivenithe wires passing through the pair of dies are twisted to form the strand or cable and fed along by the drum, after which it is subsequently wound on the spool which takes the finished material. After the strand is wrapped around the drum, the machine is started and the twist occurs between the drum and the die plate. At the same time, the gears are revolving and also turn the drum which keeps pulling the strands steadily, thus insuring a uniform speed with a right or left hand twist or lay by reason of the construction previously described. Also, it will be apparent that by reason of the gear drive arrangement and particularly the, change speed gear 46, the length of the lay of strand may be regulated, this spur gear being so mounted as to permit different sized'gea-rs to be substituted therefor accommodated by the adjustment in the slot 4a to effectively serve this purpose and to properly permit the gears to mesh with the gears 41 and 47. This is also permitted by reason of the angular adjustment of the arms which support the change speed gear 46 in the adj acent circular end plate or head 37. The die plate and die stand do not necessarily have to be as close to the stand as shown in the drawings, as they can be placed at any distance desired from the machine. Ill fact, the further away from the machine, the more space would be available to examine the strand before going onto the drum, as the strand will twist as soon as the wires come out of the die plate regardless of the distance from (the stand. The machine can be driven by a belt, chain or gears and the pulley or gear for driving purposes can be placed between the end plate or head 38 and the adjacent stand and driven from a suitable drive sh'aft common in'the art. The machine can also be arranged so that the spool can be placed outside of the end plate and between the said plate and the stand, proper guiding means being arranged to cause the strands or cables to be guided and wound upon the ,spooi, the weight being so proportioned as to balance the machine so that the center of gravity will be properly placed, and the weight of the gears and other parts properly compensated for.

In view of the foregoing. it is thought that the simplicity and practicability of the device will readily recommend it to those skilled in the art and that the operation thereof will be readily understood.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim is o 1. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a stator, a rotor carried thereby, means for twisting strands of wire to form a cable, a spool upon which the twisted'strands are wound, and means for causing the spool to be driven at a less speed than the rotor for maintaining the cable under a proper tension and comprising a shaft for driving the rotor and having a reduced portion upon which the spool is mounted, a disc mounted on the reduced portion of the shaft, and means for locking the disc and the spool for simultaneous rotation, said disc being provided with an axial sleeve adapted to receive the reduced end of the shaft, and clamping means on the sleeve.

2. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a supporting frame, shafts carried thereby, one of the shafts being tubular, means for guiding the strands of wire, a die supported in spaced relationto the guiding means and comprising spaced sections having cooperating grooves receiv-.

ing the twisted cable therethrough, a die stand having a socket adapted to receive the spaced sections, and a clamping means for locking the spaced sections in the recess inthe die stand, and means for winding the twisted strands onto a spool.

3. A machine for twisting wire, rope, thread and the like comprising a supporting frame, shafts carried by said frame, means for twisting the wire strands, a rotor, a spool carried by the rotor upon which the strands are woven, and means for guiding the cable progressively longitudinally of the spool and comprising a nut, a screw provided with a plurality of threads adapted to be engaged by the nut for causing the nut to move along the screw and to reverse its position at the ends of the screw, a frame carried by the nut and having spaced arms projecting outwardly, a rod engaged by the spaced arms, a pulley mounted on the spaced arms for carrying the cable and feeding it onto the spool.

4. A machine for twisting wire, rope, thread and the like comprising a supporting frame, shafts carried by said frame, means for twisting the wire strands, a rotor, a spool carried by the rotor upon which the strands are woven, and means for guiding the'cable progressively longitudinally of the spool and comprising a nut, a screw provided with a plurality of threads adapted to be engaged by the nut for causing the nut to move along the screw and to reverse its position at the ends of the screw, a frame carried by the nut and having space-d arms projecting outwardly, a rod engaged by the spaced arms, apulley mounted on the spaced arms for carrying the cable and feeding it onto the spool, and means for driving the rotor.

5. A machine for twisting wire, rope, thread and the like comprising a supporting frame, shafts carried by said frame, means for twisting the wire strands, a rotor, ,a spool carried by the rotor upon which the strands are woven, and means for guiding the cable progressively longitudinally of the spool and comprising a nut, a screw provided with a plurality of threads adapted to be engaged by the nut for causing the nut to move along the screw and to reverse its position at the ends of the screw, a frame carried by the nut and having spaced arms projecting outwardly, a rod engaged by the spaced arms, a pulley mounted on the spaced arms for carrying the cable and feedlng it onto the spool, and means carried by one of the end plates and located between the connection of the winding drum and the operating means for the endplate for causing a reversal, of the rotation (if the winding drum. 

